This invention relates generally to an energy saving device which is connected between a conventional water heater storage tank and the compressor outlet side of a conventional air conditioning unit, which utilizes the rejected heat from the air conditioning compressor in order to heat water in the storage tank.
In recent years increased energy demands and resultant increased fuel prices have made it necessary to seek increased efficiency in the operation of conventional energy consuming products.
Many homes, apartments, office buildings and the like today are equipped with air conditioning units which, due to the increased cost of electricity, have become more expensive to operate. These same buildings also have conventional storage tanks that heat and maintain a quantity of water at a predetermined temperature at all times. Devices are known in the prior art which act to conserve energy by utilizing the air conditioning exhaust heat energy for hot water heating. U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,876 for an energy conservation unit shows a water heating device which controls the circulating water through the heat exchanger by temperature control. No provision is made, however, to control the primary tank water heating source to insure maximum efficiency of the system. The instant invention overcomes deficiencies in the prior art by providing a compact unit that is readily attachable to a conventional water heater and air conditioning compressor unit, that provides for maximum heat transfer to the water heater whenever the air conditioner is operating and that completely turns off the primary heat source to the water storage tank when the air conditioning compressor is operating. The primary water tank heater can only be on when the air conditioning compressor is off and tank water temperature demands elevation.
The employment of the instant invention improves the coefficient of performance of the air conditioner resulting in additional savings in addition to the savings resulting from the heating of water with rejected air conditioning heat.